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In Part One of Healthcare Leaders Break Down Hospice Reform, Medicare & Quality Care, Chris Comeaux sits down with nationally respected healthcare leaders Tom Koutsoumpas, Founder & CEO of NPHI and Carole Fisher, President of NPHI to explore the evolving future of hospice, palliative care, Medicare oversight, and the growing demand for quality-driven, compassionate healthcare leadership.
Together, they unpack the growing challenges facing end-of-life care — from fraud and benefit manipulation to the urgent need for quality transparency and authentic patient-centered care. Drawing on decades of leadership experience, the guests explore how nonprofit hospice organizations are redefining quality while advocating for compassion, integrity, and trust across the healthcare continuum.
The discussion also dives into the emotional and cultural barriers surrounding hospice conversations, the importance of introducing palliative care earlier in serious illness, and why communication remains one of the most powerful tools in healthcare leadership.
Through personal stories, policy insights, and candid reflections, Tom and Carole reveal how mission-driven organizations are creating calm and Clarity for patients and families during life’s most vulnerable moments. This episode offers healthcare leaders, hospice professionals, and nonprofit executives a timely and inspiring look at where serious illness care is headed — and what it will take to protect its future.
Key Takeaways
- Hospice leaders are pushing back against fraud, abuse, and “benefit manipulation” that prioritize profits over patient care.
- Earlier integration of palliative care can build trust with patients and families before hospice services are needed.
- One of hospice care’s greatest challenges remains overcoming public fear and misunderstanding surrounding death and end-of-life conversations.
- Nonprofit hospice organizations continue to lead in quality outcomes, staffing, patient support services, and community-based care.
- Quality transparency, collaboration, and meaningful data sharing are becoming essential for the future of healthcare and hospice reimbursement.
🎙 Featured Guests:
- Tom Koutsoumpas — Founder & CEO, NPHI
- Carole Fisher — President, NPHI
Our Host:
Chris Comeaux — President / CEO of TELEIOS, Author of The Anatomy of Leadership
Cordt Kassner — PhD, Publisher of Hospice & Palliative Care
Today & CEO and Founder of Hospice Analytics
The Anatomy of Leadership podcast explores the art and science of leadership through candid, insightful conversations with thought leaders, innovators, and change-makers from a variety of industries. Hosted by Chris Comeaux, each episode dives into the mindsets, habits, and strategies that empower leaders to thrive in complex, fast-changing environments. With topics ranging from organizational culture and emotional intelligence to navigating disruption and inspiring teams, the show blends real-world stories with practical takeaways. The goal is simple yet ambitious: to equip leaders at every level with the tools, perspectives, and inspiration they need to lead with vision, empathy, and impact.
https://www.teleioscn.org/anatomy-of-leadership
I am currently the President/CEO of Teleios Collaborative Network which is like a co-op of nonprofit hospice and palliative care organizations. I am also CEO of Teleios Consulting Group. The goal of the collaboration is to harness the best of each hospice and enable the network to better care in each community for the patients and families being served as well as introduce innovations across the membership network and work with payers for new innovative solutions for those dealing with serious or advanced illness.
I am also host two podcasts, Anatomy Of Leadership and TCNtalks. Anatomy of Leadership was inspired by my book "The Anatomy of Leadership" which I wrote for Leaders, visionaries, and change-makers. The podcast delves deep into the essence of purpose-driven and high-performance leadership.
The show guides you through a journey of discovery—revealing how effective leadership can significantly alter the trajectory of our teams, organizations, our lives, and the world at large.
We examine topics like:
- Self-Mastery
- Caring for Others
- Influence
- Intention
- Cause and Purpose
Bio
Over the years, I have become nationally known as a leader in our country’s hospice and palliative care industry, where I spent a large portion of my career as President/CEO of Four Seasons in western North Carolina, a 2009 American Hospital Association Circle of Life Award Winner. In 2005, the Carolinas Center for Hospice and End of Life Care honored me with the Peter Keese Leadership Award.
In 2006, I left Four Seasons for two years to build an alliance between the prestigious national healthcare consulting firm, the Studer Group, and Covenant Hospice in Pensacola. The vision was to transform, develop, and grow leaders throughout the hospice and palliative care world. With this venture from its infancy to an established coaching firm partnering with post-acute healthcare organizations from New York to California. I returned to Four Seasons in 2008 to apply everything learned in the trenches on leadership to an organization I knew and loved.
My hospice career began in 1997 at Covenant Hospice in Pensacola, Florida. Earlier in my career, where I worked with KPMG Peat Marwick, a “Big Four” CPA consulting firm, and with Cooper Industries, a Fortune 100 Company, in its Executive Development Program.
I have a Masters in Leadership from the Thayer Institute for Performance Virtuosity.
I am blessed to have a wonderful wife, Deshia and a proud parent of 5 children (3 boys and 2 girls). Love spending time outdoors with my family, reading, and learning in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
